By David Lohr

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(Continued)

On January 12, 2006, Danyetta, Nicole, and Scott were found murdered inside their home.  Less than a week later, the Rock County Sheriff's Department arrested James C. Koepp, 47, for the murders.  According to Sheriff Bob Spoden, Koepp was at the crime scene when the murders occurred, made incriminating statements, and fled from authorities after failing to show up for a voluntary interview.  Spoden also cited Koepp's violent criminal history as reasons for holding him.

Koepp is listed on the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry.  According to theweb site, he was convicted of four counts of second-degree sexual assault in 1984, for which he was sentenced to 10 years in prison.  He was released in 1993, but his probation was revoked in 1995 because of alcoholism and "unsatisfactory progress toward rehabilitation."  He was sentenced to six more years in prison for those violations. 

Less than a week after Koepp's arrest, Rock County District Attorney David O'Leary refused to charge Koepp in the triple homicide because there was "insufficient evidence to meet the criminal burden of proof."  O'Leary said his decision was founded on "the investigative reports, based upon a discussion with the analyst assigned the case from the State Crime Laboratory and based upon a discussion with Dr. Stier, the pathologist who conducted the autopsies."

Koepp has been in the Rock County jail since January 13, 2006, held on $60,000 bond for charges of DWI, eluding a police officer,and reckless driving.  On February 22, Koepp's attorney, Assistant Public Defender Larry Peterson, filed a motion to reduce his client's bond. 

On February 26, Judge Alan Bates presided over Koepp's bond hearing.  During the brief proceeding, Koepp's public defender, Larry Peterson, argued that his client could not afford the bond the court had imposed on him, and said that his client wanted it reduced to less than $700.

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Contact  David Lohr at           crimewriter74@hughes.net

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Documents:
1986 Appeal
1997 Appeal

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